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The gloves are on in the Olympic Village as norovirus threatens to sideline athletes

Published: 11 Feb. 2026, 16:58 Updated: 11 Feb. 2026, 17:10

Finland's players celebrate after winning the women's preliminary round Group A ice hockey game between Finland and Switzerland at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 10. [AFP/YONHAP]

Norovirus has spread through parts of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, sidelining athletes and forcing at least one game to be postponed.

More than half of Finland’s women’s ice hockey team has been affected, prompting officials to reschedule its Feb. 5 matchup against Canada. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) moved the game to Thursday after confirming cases within the Finnish delegation.

Thirteen of the team’s 23 players began quarantining on Feb. 3 after developing symptoms. Only eight skaters and two goaltenders were available for training, leaving organizers little choice but to postpone the game.

Switzerland’s women's team isolated all players overnight after confirming one infection and skipped the opening ceremony as a precaution.

As concerns about the virus spread through the athletes’ village, delegations tightened hygiene protocols. Teams are emphasizing frequent handwashing, stricter dining guidelines and limited physical contact.

Some athletes are even refraining from handshakes — Germany’s women’s ice hockey team agreed with opponents to forgo postgame handshakes. After their game against Japan on Saturday, players from both sides acknowledged the crowd without physical contact.

Japanese players bow after losing their women's preliminary round Group B ice hockey game against Germany at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 7. [AFP/YONHAP]

A CNN report on Tuesday cited a nutritionist with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee who said that the U.S. delegation had urged athletes to focus on hygiene measures.

“These cases are a good reminder for us to stay dialed in our hygiene strategies,” the nutritionist said, advising athletes to wash their hands regularly and contact medical staff immediately if they develop symptoms.

The committee's dietitian also highlighted disinfecting surfaces that are touched often, avoiding sharing personal items such as water bottles and adhering to food safety precautions.

Experts also urged athletes to exercise caution with food.

Edwin Johnson, director of clinical nutrition services at South Brooklyn Health in New York, told CNN that food logistics at the Olympics require careful planning.

“It’s a massive logistical operation. You have to remember that for these athletes, food isn’t just fuel; it’s a safety variable," Johnson said. "The golden rule is ‘familiarity over adventure.’ The Games are not the time to be an adventurous eater."

He advised athletes to avoid drinking tap water when possible and to steer clear of raw foods.

Gold medalist Linn Svahn, center, silver medalist Jonna Sundling, left, and bronze medalist Maja Dahlqvist, all three of Sweden, pose after the cross-country skiing women's sprint classic at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, on Feb. 10. [AP/YONHAP]

Because norovirus spreads easily in crowded settings, some teams moved to minimize contact. Sweden’s cross-country team gathered athletes at a hotel and entered a temporary lockdown. Athletes arriving from different regions stayed in their rooms for 48 hours to monitor for symptoms, with access limited to team officials and hotel staff.

Reporting on the success of Sweden's women in cross-country, clinching five of the six medals awarded so far, Reuters noted that the team’s cautious approach appeared to help limit infections.

Canada has advised its athletes to wear gloves when handling shared dressing bottles in the athletes’ village dining hall.

The IOC has resisted describing the situation as an outbreak. CNN noted that U.S. authorities define an outbreak as two or more similar illnesses linked to a common exposure. Even so, the IOC has declined to use that term.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE KEUN-PYUNG [[email protected]]